Hobbled by a bad back and recently returned from vacation, the Landmarks Preservation Commission’s General Counsel Mark Silberman sat down with CityLand to talk about his role at the Commission and Landmarks’ role in the City. He brings a perspective on the broader role of historic preservation nationally and in our culture.
A young environmentalist. Raised in Illinois and a graduate of the University of California at Santa Cruz, Silberman began his career in government … <Read More>
New project would house women transitioning from shelters or hospitals; opponents expressed concerns about project’s impact on neighborhood. On August 25, 2010, the City Planning Commission heard testimony on the Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s proposal to allow Providence House to develop a six-story, 26-unit supportive housing project at 329 Lincoln Road in the Prospect Lefferts Gardens section of Brooklyn. Providence House, established by the Sisters of Saint Joseph, provides supportive and transitional housing … <Read More>
BSA had previously revoked permit for buildings’ existing two-story addition. In 2007, the owner of two pre-1948 five-story buildings at 514 and 516 East 6th Street in Manhattan obtained an alteration permit and enlarged the buildings by two stories. The enlarged buildings did not comply with the Multiple Dwelling Law’s fire safety requirements, but Buildings permitted the owner to provide alternative fire safety upgrades. A tenant appealed the decision to BSA, claiming that Buildings was … <Read More>
Proposal would rezone manufacturing district and facilitate affordable housing on Culver El site. On August 25, the City Planning Commission approved the Department of City Planning and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s Culver El Proposal. The proposal would rezone a seven-block portion of Borough Park, Brooklyn, generally bounded by 36th Street to the north, 39th Street to the … <Read More>
Local council member supported 193-block contextual rezoning in suburban Queens. On August 25, 2010, the City Planning Commission approved the Department of City Planning’s proposal to rezone 193 blocks in Rosedale, Queens. The triangular-shaped rezoning area is generally bounded by Merrick Boulevard to the north, Idlewild Park and Hook Creek to the south, Nassau County to the east, and Brookville Boulevard to the west. The plan seeks to preserve the neighborhood’s low-density character and builds … <Read More>
Developer argued City inadequately considered rezoning’s economic impact. In May 2008, the Department of City Planning proposed rezoning 111 blocks in Manhattan’s East Village and Lower East Side neighborhoods. Planning proposed the contextual rezoning in order to preserve the area’s low- and midrise character and channel new construction to blocks suitable for development. The plan included rezoning large mid-block portions above Houston Street from R7-2 to R8B to establish height limits while providing an increase … <Read More>